The upper portions of winter boots are intended to provide warmth to the lower leg above the ankle and prevent snow from entering the boot. Typically the top edge of the upper is drawn close to the leg of the wearer by means of a draw cord which is drawn and held by a bow or knot, sometimes with the assistance of a squeeze-type cord fastener, so that snow and cold air are prevented from entering the boot, and this is true of both children's and adult's boots. For example, a prior art boot which has been commonly sold to date is a design having an upper draw cord with two loose ends and a squeeze-type cord fastener through which the two ends of the cord are drawn and held in position by the fastener, with the free ends of the cord being tied together in a bow or knot to further secure them and stop them from dragging or getting caught on things.
However, in the case of children's boots in particular both the need to tie a draw cord and the need to ensure that the loose ends of the draw cord do not retract back through the cord fastener (in which case they have to be re-threaded) is inconvenient in that an adult's assistance is frequently required to close the uppers of such boots. Therefore, there is a need for an upper closure which is effective to secure the upper to the wearer's leg yet can be fully operated by a young child without need for the child to be able to tie a draw cord or re-thread a squeeze-type cord fastener.